Eleutherius Winance
Encyclopedia
Eleutherius Winance was a Belgian
-born Benedictine monk and philosophy
professor
. Winance was the last surviving founders of St. Andrew's Abbey
in Valyermo, California
. he taught philosophy at Claremont Graduate University
for 38 years.
on 10 July 1909. He was named for St. Eleutherius, the patron saint of freedom
. He joined St. Andre's monastery when he was 17 years old. He obtained a doctorate
in philosophy in 1934 from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium.
order sent him to China that same year. Winance and two other priests then established a monastery in Sichuan
province. In 1937, Winance helped to found both a Catholic elementary school and a seminary for the new Diocese of Nanchong
(now called the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shunqing), which was established in 1929.
Winance and the other Benedictine monks were isolated during the second Sino-Japanese War
, which lasted from 1937 until 1945, the end of World War II
. The relocated the monastery to the Sichuan capital city of Chengdu
following World War II. The monks opened the Institute of Chinese and Western Cultural Studies in Chengdu. The institute's library eventually contained more than 10,000 books and other publications.
The city of Chengdu, which was the last stronghold of the Chinese Nationalists, fell to Mao Zedong
's Communist forces on 25 December 1949. The Communist authorities shuttered the Institute of Chinese and Western Cultural Studies and confiscated the books in its library. Father Winance and the other monks were forced to attend indoctrination
sessions on Marxist philosophy.
Winance was accused by police in 1952 of being a member of the Legion of Mary
, which the Chinese government alleged was a seditious organization. Winance, along with six priests and five nun
s of foreign origin, were expelled from China. The group travelled nearly 3,000 miles under armed guard by bus, train, junk and foot to Guangzhou
and then the British controlled colony of Hong Kong
. Two Chinese Catholic Benedictine monks remained in China, one of which spent 27 years in prison.
, where he taught philosophy at Sant'Anselmo
, a Benedictine college, for four years. In 1958, he published a book of his experiences during the Chinese Revolution entitled, "The Communist Persuasion, A Personal Experience of Brainwashing." He next went to St. John's University, Minnesota. In California, he taught in the Claremont Colleges graduate program in philosophy and at St. John's Seminary College in Camarillo.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
-born Benedictine monk and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
. Winance was the last surviving founders of St. Andrew's Abbey
St. Andrew's Abbey
St. Andrew's Abbey is a Benedictine monastery of men located in Valyermo, California. In 1929, St. Andrew's Abbey in Bruges, Belgium founded St. Andrew's Priory in China and until 1953, the monks of the Priory conducted missionary work among the people of China.In 1953, the Communists expelled all...
in Valyermo, California
Valyermo, California
Valyermo is an unincorporated town located in the Mojave Desert, in Los Angeles County, California. The town has a population of about 450.- Geography :Valyermo is located about southeast of Palmdale in the Antelope Valley portion of Southern California...
. he taught philosophy at Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University is a private, all-graduate research university located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
for 38 years.
Early life
Winance was born in BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
on 10 July 1909. He was named for St. Eleutherius, the patron saint of freedom
Free will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
. He joined St. Andre's monastery when he was 17 years old. He obtained a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in philosophy in 1934 from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium.
China
Winance was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1936. The BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
order sent him to China that same year. Winance and two other priests then established a monastery in Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
province. In 1937, Winance helped to found both a Catholic elementary school and a seminary for the new Diocese of Nanchong
Nanchong
Nanchong is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China, with an area of 12,479 kilometers. and the home to 7,300,000 people. It has the second most populated area and suggested to be one of the eight largest cities of Sichuan Province...
(now called the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shunqing), which was established in 1929.
Winance and the other Benedictine monks were isolated during the second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, which lasted from 1937 until 1945, the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The relocated the monastery to the Sichuan capital city of Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
following World War II. The monks opened the Institute of Chinese and Western Cultural Studies in Chengdu. The institute's library eventually contained more than 10,000 books and other publications.
The city of Chengdu, which was the last stronghold of the Chinese Nationalists, fell to Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
's Communist forces on 25 December 1949. The Communist authorities shuttered the Institute of Chinese and Western Cultural Studies and confiscated the books in its library. Father Winance and the other monks were forced to attend indoctrination
Indoctrination
Indoctrination is the process of inculcating ideas, attitudes, cognitive strategies or a professional methodology . It is often distinguished from education by the fact that the indoctrinated person is expected not to question or critically examine the doctrine they have learned...
sessions on Marxist philosophy.
Winance was accused by police in 1952 of being a member of the Legion of Mary
Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary is an association of Catholic laity who serve the Church on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, as a Roman Catholic Marian Movement by layman Frank Duff. Today between active and auxiliary members there are in excess of 10 million members worldwide making it...
, which the Chinese government alleged was a seditious organization. Winance, along with six priests and five nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s of foreign origin, were expelled from China. The group travelled nearly 3,000 miles under armed guard by bus, train, junk and foot to Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
and then the British controlled colony of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Two Chinese Catholic Benedictine monks remained in China, one of which spent 27 years in prison.
United States
Following his expulsion from China, Winance was sent to RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he taught philosophy at Sant'Anselmo
Sant'Anselmo
Sant'Anselmo, named after the Italian saint and theologian, Anselm of Canterbury, is the home of the Abbot Primate of the Benedictines, seat of the Benedictine Confederation, and also hosts an Athenaeum, including the Pontifical Liturgical Institute, and the Philosophy and Theology faculties...
, a Benedictine college, for four years. In 1958, he published a book of his experiences during the Chinese Revolution entitled, "The Communist Persuasion, A Personal Experience of Brainwashing." He next went to St. John's University, Minnesota. In California, he taught in the Claremont Colleges graduate program in philosophy and at St. John's Seminary College in Camarillo.
Reading list
- Doyle, Paula. "Fr. Eleutherius Winance, Benedictine monk, dies at 100." The Tidings. 21 August 2009, p. 4. (The Tidings is the Catholic newspaper of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.)
- Winance, Eleutherius. The Communist Persuasion: A Personal Experience of Brainwashing. Translated by Emeric A. Lawrence. (New York: P. J. Kennedy & Sons, 1958)
- Woo, Elaine. "Longtime professor of philosophy; Father Eleutherius Winance, 1909-2009." Los Angeles Times, 21 August 2009, A32.